A Strong Foundation Creates a Successful School Year

The secret to success on the first few days, and for the remainder of school year, is having a plan! This plan should include laying a strong foundation.  A strong foundation includes preparations for building and maintaining relationships, creating classroom routines, behavior management, communication and organization of your classroom supplies. 

Much like a builder on a construction site, you classroom NEEDS a strong foundation in order to have a positive and strong impact for your students.  Laying the foundation starts on minute one of day one.  The first days will set the tone for the set the tone for the rest of the school year.  

Before you begin your first day it is important to reflect and see if you have plans in place for creating relationships, classroom routines, behavior management, communication and organization of your supplies.  Use the following graphic organizer and see if you can answer the following questions.  If you are finding yourself struggling with a particular area--reach out to you a colleague, your mentor or administration.  Schools are families--and I guarantee someone at your building would love to help you! 

Relationships

1. How will students get to know you?
2. How will you get to know your students?
3. How will your students get to know one another? 

Routines

1. What routines do your students need to know?
2. How will you teach them?
3. How will they practice the routines? 

Classroom Management

1. How will you prevent problem behavior? 
2. What are the student expectations?
3. What is your philosophy?
4. How will you co-construct the agreements/rules together?
5. How will you encourage positive behavior? 

Communication 

1. How will you promote all of the awesome things you are going to do this year?
2. Will you use social media?
3. How will you keep communication positive?  

Classroom Organization

1. How will you decorate your classroom?
2. Where will you put supplies?
3. What will be the best way to organize to keep your transitions efficient? 
4. How will students organize their supplies? 

Click the image below to download the above guiding questions and a graphic organizer to record your thoughts.  It's free! :) 

If you are looking for more information on classroom routines, I would highly recommend checking out Teachers Pay Teachers.  There are TONS of free checklists for routines and procedures for all grade levels.    

Additionally, check out "You Only Get One First Day,"  which is a great article from Edutopia.  

Starfish Story--You are making a difference!

Many teachers across the nation are preparing to head back to school in the upcoming weeks, while some have already began their year.  Depending on where you teach (state, county, school district) your first days, weeks and months may be 100% virtual, 100% in person or a blend of both.  

In a typical start to school, it is easy to get bogged down with never ending to-do lists, supplies to buy, curriculum to learn, and professional development to attend to.  However this year --we have So. Much. More added to our "back to school year plate." 

Therefore, it is of upmost importance that we spend some time reflecting on "why" we chose this profession.  Each year I elect to read (and keep posted in my classroom) a poem adapted from Loren Eiseley's work titled "The Starfish Story."  It is a perfect message for teachers to recall why we do what we do.  We are here to invest in youth.  Invest in our future. 

Often I present professional development to first and second year teachers, and I like to give them this poem as they leave training.  Attached to the poem, I glue a small plastic starfish to serve as a reminder  of our true purpose in education.  I know first year teachers will reach point in the school year when teaching seems too hard and they feel as if they are barely keeping their head above water.  My hope is that they will look at that little starfish,  and take a moment to refocus and realize the impact they are making. 

If you would like to share "The Starfish Story" with your colleagues, click the first image above or click below to download the poem for free.  If you are wanting to hand out little starfish--I purchased a 30 pack of of starfish from Amazon for under 10 dollars.  You can find the plastic starfish by clicking here.  

A Teacher's Hierarchy of Needs

I have spent a lot of time blogging about self care lately.  I suppose it is top of mind for me, as I know how stressful this upcoming school year is going to be.  Teaching, by nature, is normally stressful but this year teachers will have heightened and unprecedented amounts of stress placed on us.

We must give ourselves permission to do a mental self-check to make sure that we are doing alright. I loved the analogy the Distance Learning Playbook illustrated.  If we are on an airplane and it begins to go down without warning, we must first place an oxygen mask on ourselves before we attend to others.  This same analogy applies to this school year.  We have to make sure our oxygen mask is properly fitted to us, before we can help anyone else. 

Doing a self-check to see how we you are doing mentally is a great way to stay emotionally aware and in check.  A great tool to check in with yourself is Maslow's hierarchy of needs pyramid.  Maslow ordered human needs--starting with the most basic needs of humans (food, water, sleep) and progressing to deeper needs (do I feel connected to something greater than me?) In order to be able to get to the top (a healthier mental state), we must satisfy the needs in the previous steps of the pyramid.  If we, or students, are stuck on the lower steps our behavior can be impacted and we are not functioning at our best potential.     

On each level in Maslow's hierarchy ask yourself the reflective question to see if your needs are being met.  If you are unable to answer yes to the question, try some of the tips suggested. 

Level 1-- Physiological (Basic Needs)

These are your most basic necessities such as being fed, getting enough sleep and living in a safe environment.  

Reflection question: Are my basic needs met?

Tips: Drink more water to stay hydrated.  Try a meal delivery service.  Go for a walk outside or garden.  Set a specific bedtime and don't drink caffeine six hours before bed.  Remove electronics from the bedroom.    

Level 2-Safety and Protection needs

This stage is about safety--in a physical and material sense.  Do you feel secure with your finances, health and safety?

Reflection question: Do I feel safe?

Tips: Record your worries and fears in a journal.  Listen to calming music.  Talk to a banker or financial advisor.  Create a safety plan.  Try a meditation app.  Schedule a doctor's appointment.  Identify areas that lack order and develop a plan to organize them. 

Level 3--Love and social being

This stage is all about relationships.  First we must have a positive relationship with ourselves.  We must first accept who we are, however human nature is to search for other's support so we can create the best version of ourselves.  With this stage we need to have positive and healthy relationships, be it friends, family or colleagues.   Love, affection and acceptance are imperative to give us a sense of belonging. 

Reflection question: Do I feel like I belong?

Tips: Be present in the moment when you are with friends and family.  Put away your cell phone while having conversations.  Stay connected with colleagues by going to events you are invited to.  Give yourself permission to let go of toxic relationships.  Hide negative people on social media. 

Level 4--Esteem

This stage refers to desire to have esteem for oneself (feeling of achievement, mastery, dignity) and the desire to have respect from others (status, prestige, etc.)

Reflection question: Do I feel confident?

Tips: Recite self affirmations.  Tame and re frame it (look for the positive in something that could otherwise be seen as negative).  Make sure the goals you have set for yourself are realalisitc.  Check your thoughts--are they based off assumption or reality? 

Level 5--Self Actualization

This stage is the realization of a person's potential and peak experiences.  At this stage, one will desire to accomplish everything they can and become the most that one can be. Each person will have a different focus and goal. One may want to be an ideal parent while another may want to excel as a professional athlete.

Reflection question: Am I living my best life?

Tips:  Choose work that you love.  Know yourself and identify when your needs aren't being met.  Find the best time to get things done. 

Level 6--Transcendence 

This stage is being able to overcome the limits of yourself.  It is the idea that you have completely explored your own potential, and you are now focused on something that is bigger than you. 

Reflection question: Do I feel connected to something greater than myself? 

Tips: Write a thank you note.  Keep a gratitude journal.  Seek inspiration in books, movies, art, scripture, quotes, etc.   Share what you are grateful for.  

If you are interested in a deeper dive into Maslow's hierarchy of needs, I suggest the book Take Time For You by Tina H. Boogren, PhD.  Tina is a former classroom teacher, English department chair, instructional coach, professional developer, athletic coach, author and building level leader.  She wrote this book to provide teachers resources, strategies, self care surveys and reflective questions to guide them on a clear path to well being. 

Also, I have created a free reflection tool for teachers.  This resource includes guiding questions for each stage of Maslow's hierarchy, tips for each stage and a reflection graphic organizer. Click the image below to take you to TPT where the product can be downloaded for free.  This would be a great resource to provide teachers with during this back to school season, or several months/weeks into the school year. 

Furthermore, if you want to know about Maslow's needs and how it relates to students during this Covid crisis,  check out the recent article from ASCD titled Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and the Covid Crisis .

As always, if life gets to be too much and you begin to experience overwhelming anxiety, sadness or stress please seek professional help.  

Stay safe and healthy!

50 Self Care Ideas for Teachers

It wasn't until Covid-19 hit and we began "crisis teaching," that I realized the importance of self care.  I didn't take issue with others and their self-care routines, but I didn't do it myself....I just thought it was unnecessary.  In fact I probably would have called self care for myself a waste of time.  I mean...I didn't have time to paint my nails, read a book for pleasure or listen to my favorite podcast.  I had work to do.  I had a toddler to chase around. I had dinner to cook.  Laundry to fold......and the list goes on and on.  However, now I realize how essential self-care is.  

It isn't selfish to love yourself, take care of yourself and make your happiness a priority.  It's necessary. If you are constantly giving your all to everyone else or everything else, then you will eventually burn out.  Your cup will be empty and you will have nothing left to give. You aren't saying "me first," but rather "me too." 

 

For this upcoming school year it will be more important than ever to create a self-care plan.  The back to school season is normally full of stress, anxiety, lack of sleep and excitement....but through Covid-19 in the mix and.....yikes!  

So, please take a moment and read through the 50 self care actions you can take to nurture yourself.    Pick your favorites, or try all of them.  If it takes you scheduling self care on your calendar---then do it.  Make. Yourself. A. Priority.

If your school year will be remote or hybrid (both remote and in-person), make sure you check out an earlier post I had (Teacher Self Care) which gives tips on creating a plan to keep you mentally healthy during distance learning.

If life gets to be too much and you begin to experience overwhelming, anxiety, sadness or stress please seek professional help.  You aren't good to anyone else, unless you have taken care of yourself first. 

Feel free to click this link, where you can download the self care printable.  Perhaps share it with a colleague who you know needs some self care.  Maybe make it a challenge at your building this year--who can be the first to complete all 50?

Back to School Sale!

Mark your calendars for August 4th and 5th!  It is officially TPT's Back to School Sale!  Whoop Whoop!

Most sellers have set their ENTIRE stores set to 20% off, but you can receive an additional 5% discount if you enter code: BTS20 at checkout.  This is a wonderful time to get all the items on your wish list for a fraction of the cost!  I know I have my cart loaded up and ready to go for Tuesday!

All products in my store are 20%, including my three most popular sellers listed below!